The Old Garden of Sorrows

According to Toorop, the ‘Old Garden of Sorrows’ is the place where the Soul, here personified as a woman, resides temporarily prior to death. She walks through the walled garden, terrified. Death is symbolized by the skulls strewn on the ground around her and near the dilapidated garden gate. At the right, mourning phantom-like figures support the fountain of tears.